Most voters say President Trump’s Iran handling made US less safe overall
Voters are divided on U.S. military action against Iran, even as a majority sees the country as a security risk.
A new Fox News national survey finds 61% think Iran poses “a real national security threat” to the United States. That view is similar to most previous Fox News surveys since 2006. The notable exception was when concern hit 73% last June, right before the U.S. military mission against Iranian nuclear facilities called Operation Midnight Hammer.
Even though a majority views Iran as a danger to the country, that concern does not translate into majority support for the current U.S. military action, as 50% approve and 50% disapprove.
In addition, 51% think President Trump’s handling of Iran has made the U.S. less safe, up from 43% last July. Twenty-nine percent say he’s made the U.S. safer. By comparison, when the same question was asked about former President Biden in 2023, 50% said his handling of Iran had made the U.S. less safe, while 12% said safer.
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Among Republicans, more than 8 in 10 approve of the current U.S. use of force, while only 6 in 10 say the president’s actions on Iran are making the U.S. safer.
Nearly 8 in 10 Democrats disapprove of the U.S. strikes and think things are less safe because of Trump’s performance, while 6 in 10 or more independents think the same on both counts.
Among voters who have served in the military, 59% approve of the U.S. strikes on Iran (39% disapprove). Compared to voters overall, who say the U.S. is less safe by a wide margin, veterans are more closely divided on the question of whether Trump’s actions have made the country safer (37%) or less safe (44%).
In a joint effort with Israel, the United States started launching strikes on Iran on Saturday morning as part of a mission called “Operation Epic Fury.” All survey interviews were conducted after the bombings began, from Saturday through Monday.
Trump’s job rating on foreign policy is underwater by 20 points, as 40% approve and 60% disapprove — including 21% of Republicans who disapprove.
Some 43% of voters approve of Trump’s overall job performance, while 57% disapprove. In January and December, it was 44% approve vs. 56% disapprove.
Perceptions of how the United States is viewed abroad have improved slightly since the end of the Biden administration. While a majority of 56% say the country is less respected around the world than it was four years ago, that’s an improvement from 61% who said the same in 2024 under former President Biden. Meanwhile, 30% say the U.S. is more respected, up from 23% under Biden and 29% during Trump’s first term.
Two-thirds of voters are generally concerned that Trump’s use of executive orders and acting without Congressional approval may be permanently altering the country’s system of checks and balances. The results are nearly identical to when this same question was asked about Barack Obama during his presidency.
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The survey also revisited attitudes about last June’s U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. When asked to think back, voters are closely divided between saying those strikes were mostly successful (30%) and mostly a failure (31%), but the most common answer is it’s too soon to say (37%). That’s about the same as views in July 2025, immediately following the strikes.
TOPGUN pilot warns of another threat amid US air supremacy over Iran
Decorated Navy TOPGUN graduate and F/A-18 fighter pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley said Tuesday that Iran has “zero” options as U.S. and Israeli strikes continue in Operation Epic Fury — but warned the biggest danger now may be friendly fire amid a complex battle environment.
Given U.S. air superiority, Buckley said on “Fox & Friends First” the Iranian government is backed into a corner.
“They really don’t have any options. When you have command of the sky, you can do whatever you want… We have free flow over the airspace, which means we can pick and choose targets at will and not worry about any ground fire,” he said, but added that, “the only ground fire we have to worry about is friendly fire.”
Buckley said he was grateful for the safety of the U.S. airmen who had to eject themselves from their F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft after they were mistakenly engaged by allied Kuwaiti air defenses.
“I’m more worried about our own forces than I am the Iranians at this point. It’s over with. As far as their air, sea and mainly land powers as well,” he said.
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Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait late Sunday during active combat operations tied to Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The aircraft were taken down by Kuwait amid a complex battle environment that included attacks by Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
All six aircrew members safely ejected, were quickly recovered, and are reported to be in stable condition.
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Despite the misfire, Buckley expressed confidence in the military’s stated objectives of degrading Iran’s ballistic missile capability and nuclear program, and said that what happened next would be up to the Iranian people.
The mission also served as a demonstration that, “whether it was the Maduro raid, Operation Midnight Hammer, or Epic Fury, we can project power around the globe and hit our mission objectives extremely quickly,” Buckley said.
Mom’s tragic act while husband was away leaves affluent Florida community reeling
A Florida mother killed her two children inside their upscale Lakewood Ranch home before taking her own life in what authorities ruled was a double homicide-suicide.
Deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check at the home and discovered three people dead inside. Detectives with the Manatee Homicide Investigation Unit later concluded the children were killed by their mother before she took her own life.
Authorities said there is no evidence anyone else was involved, and there is no threat to the community.
The victims were identified by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune as Monika Rubacha, 44, and her children, Josh James, 14, and Emma James, 11.
Officials described encountering what appeared to be a “violent murder scene” when deputies entered the home.
The case remains active as detectives continue reviewing evidence. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of the deaths.
According to the Herald-Tribune, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Randy Warren said preliminary findings suggest Josh James may have died earlier than his sister and mother as investigators work to establish a precise timeline.
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The outlet also reported that authorities believe there was some level of planning involved and that the mother “knew what she was doing,” citing Warren.
“This is unimaginable that two children were killed inside their home by a parent, and then she took her own life,” Warren told FOX 13.
Warren also told the station that deputies had never previously responded to the home since the family moved there from Missouri about three years ago.
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“There’s really nothing there that would have indicated this would have happened,” said Warren.
The children’s father was traveling in South America at the time of the killings and returned to Florida after being notified, authorities said, calling it “an incredible emotional day for him,” according to FOX 13.
Neighbors described shock rippling through the gated community.
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“It’s a total surprise and shock. This neighborhood is so quiet,” Paul Henne, a resident of The Lake Club, told FOX 13.
“It’s a family community with small kids. It really hits you hard when you hear about that stuff happening.”
The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch, the gated community where the family lived, said in a statement to FOX 13 it is aware of the tragedy and that its “hearts are with the family and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time.”
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A motive has not been released.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Former NASCAR driver dead at 42 as family shares heartbreaking update
Former NASCAR driver Chase Pistone died at the age of 42, his family announced earlier this week.
His brother, Nick, announced his death, saying his “young brother and best friend is gone.”
“I’m broken-hearted and don’t know if I’ll ever get over this. I miss you, Chase, already, and I hope you are you are in a better place. I love you and I miss you so much already!!!!!!!” Nick posted on his Facebook page.
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Legends Nation said it confirmed with Nick and Pistone’s other brother, Tom, that Pistone had died, adding that the brothers requested the outlet post the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Pistone is the grandson of former driver “Tiger” Tom Pistone, who is 96 years old.
He competed in 10 NASCAR races — six in the Truck Series and four in the O’Reilly Series. His best finish was ninth at the 2014 Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois.
Pistone also owned CP Inc., where he built and repaired stock cars.
“Chase was not only a wheelman in Legends and Late Models, but his Chase Pistone Inc. Legends team was a force to be reckoned with every time they showed up at a track, and they usually walked away with the winner’s trophy,” Legends Nation wrote on social media.
“Heartbroken to hear about the passing of our friend Chase Pistone,” RFK Racing’s Brian Murphy said on X. “He was not only a talented racer but a true mentor who poured his time, knowledge, and passion into the next generation.”
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Pistone also raced in the ARCA Re/Max Series in 2006 and 2007.
Former mayor on trial over alleged actions at wild pool party
A former Louisiana mayor is on trial after prosecutors allege her teenage son caught her having sex with one of his 16-year-old friends at a booze-filled pool party.
Misty Roberts, 43, the former mayor of DeRidder, is facing charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile, according to KPLC. She has pleaded not guilty.
Roberts’ second trial is underway after the first case resulted in a mistrial due to judicial issues in nearby Beauregard Parish, the outlet reported.
The charges stem from a 2024 late-night gathering at Roberts’ home.
Last week, Roberts’ children and her ex-husband took the stand in her trial, along with a DoorDash driver, family friend and multiple teenagers who were present at the party, according to KPLC.
Jurors were shown a video interview of Roberts’ son, taken last year, in which the teenager reportedly told authorities he witnessed his mother having sex with his friend through a crack in a window during the party.
However, upon taking the stand last week, the teenager reportedly told jurors he was not certain of what he actually saw that evening.
Roberts’ defense attorneys have disputed the recording, telling jurors that part of the interview could have been improperly transcribed.
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Text messages between the mother and son were also shown to the jury, with the pair discussing what type of alcohol the teenagers wanted for the party.
In another exchange, Roberts’ son warned her of the victim’s age, texting her, “He is seventeen,” according to the outlet. The victim was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
Additional text messages from the night of the party show Roberts’ son calling the situation “crazy” and telling her that his younger sister was emotional.
Upon taking the stand, Roberts’ daughter told the court that she witnessed her mother and the victim “on top of each other” the night of the party,” KPLC reported.
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Following the alleged encounter, prosecutors reportedly said the victim’s mother texted Roberts to confirm she was not pregnant.
Roberts replied that she was on birth control, and later screenshotted the messages and sent them in a separate group chat while suggesting she would take an emergency contraceptive known as “Plan B.”
Jurors also heard from a DoorDash driver who testified that he fulfilled an order from “Misty C” to purchase the emergency contraceptive and leave it at the front door of the home, the outlet reported.
The driver added that he later heard rumors about the alleged incident and believed his delivery was connected.
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Roberts’ nephew also testified that he attempted to see what was happening in the room during the party by using his phone’s camera, but was unsure if he recorded any footage and did not send anything to anyone following the alleged encounter, according to the outlet.
The nephew also admitted to deleting his Snapchat memories before investigators took custody of his phone because he did not want to get in trouble over photos of underage drinking, adding he did not intend to delete evidence.
Another member of the victim’s friend group also told jurors that he witnessed Roberts flirting with the victim on the night of the party, while revealing the boy appeared to be drunk and vomited later that night, KPLC reported.
On Saturday, Roberts’ ex-husband, Duncan Clanton, reportedly testified that Roberts confessed to having sex with the teenage boy and that the couple’s children had caught them in the act.
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Jurors were also shown text messages between the married couple, in which Clanton told Roberts, “I would deny what happened if you’re approached by anyone at the meeting,” on the day of a city council meeting.
In another exchange, Clanton reportedly testified Roberts texted him, “I need you to deny it, please.”
Clanton added that while he refused to deny the allegations, he avoided talking about the incident.
“I can’t keep hurting others, friends and family. Lord knows I’ve done enough,” Roberts reportedly texted Clanton, according to KPLC.
On cross-examination, when Roberts’ defense attorney asked Clanton if he felt as though Roberts was a good mom, the father reportedly answered, “No.”
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Roberts resigned from her position as mayor just days before her arrest in 2024. She was initially prohibited from making contact with her children without permission from Clanton and the court revoked child support.
Roberts’ defense attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Christina Applegate reveals why she walked out on Brad Pitt at 1989 MTV Awards
Christina Applegate dumped Brad Pitt for a rock star and later regretted her decision.
After Applegate rose to fame thanks to her sitcom role in “Married … With Children,” she was asked to be a presenter at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards and decided to bring Pitt as her date.
The actress wrote in her memoir, “You with the Sad Eyes,” that her 17-year-old self was unimpressed with Pitt that night and only cared about Skid Row rocker Sebastian Bach.
“I had spent all night staring at Bach, who was then a long-haired hunk fronting the band Skid Row,” Applegate wrote.
“I hate to put it like this, but Brad back then was still making his way as an actor, and he wasn’t yet THE Brad Pitt, the man of so many people’s dreams. And it gets worse: Brad was left to sullenly drive my mom … home,” she continued. “Apparently, at a gas station on the way, Brad almost got into a fight with a bunch of gang members, and, not surprisingly, was subsequently very mad at me.”
“I hate to put it like this, but Brad back then was still making his way as an actor, and he wasn’t yet THE Brad Pitt, the man of so many people’s dreams.”
Applegate said she felt “so powerful and sure of myself for once that when the awards show was over, I left with Sebastian Bach, not Brad Pitt.”
Applegate wrote that she regretted her decision once she went to an after party with Bach and learned that he was in a long-term relationship and already had a child.
“What a d—,” Applegate bluntly wrote.
Pitt didn’t let the break-up go and “didn’t talk” to her “for many years.”
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Applegate wrote that “much later” in life, “two of [Pitt’s] movie star girlfriends asked me if it was true that I was the girl who left Brad behind at the MTV Video Music Awards.”
She explained that Brad had apparently told both of them separately that he was still mad at her.
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“Eventually, we agreed that I’d been a kid, and though he deserved much better, it was time to forgive the child who dumped him for the lead singer of Skid Row,” Applegate wrote.
“Of course, Brad is now THE Brad Pitt, and Sebastian Bach … well, he still has long hair, I guess,” the star joked.
Applegate went on to marry actor Johnathon Schaech in 2001, but the pair split in 2007. She has now been married to bassist Martyn LeNoble since 2013.
Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 until 2005. He officially tied the knot to Angelina Jolie in 2014 before the pair split in 2019. He is now dating jewelry designer Ines de Ramon.
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Kyler Murray apologizes to Cardinals fans after team cuts $230.5M quarterback
When the Arizona Cardinals drafted Kyler Murray first overall in 2019, they were hoping he was the quarterback to lead them back to the Super Bowl.
Instead, after seven seasons with the franchise, with which Murray went 38-48-1 as the starter over 87 games, the team is moving on.
Murray seemingly confirmed reports that the Cardinals will release the veteran signal-caller next week when the new league year begins, releasing a statement via social media. In his statement, Murray shared remorse for not being able to do what he intended coming out of Oklahoma as the top draft pick in 2019.
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“To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Murray wrote on X. “I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77-year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.
“I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it. Godspeed.”
Murray is still owed $36.8 million in guaranteed money from his five-year, $230.5 million extension he signed in 2022. But the franchise will save an extra $19.5 million that would have been triggered for the 2027 NFL season.
Murray, 28, has had an up-and-down NFL career thus far, and injuries and inconsistent play have been a storyline he couldn’t shake despite games when he proved why the team loved him as the first overall pick.
Last season, Murray went 2-3 in his five games, throwing for six touchdowns and three interceptions before a foot injury knocked him out the rest of the way. Jacoby Brissett, who figures to take over as the team’s starter in the second year of the two-year deal he signed last offseason with the franchise, took over for Murray and thrived despite what the record said. He threw for a career-high 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Cardinals, though, finished 3-14, and the franchise went in a different direction and fired head coach Jonathan Gannon. Mike LaFleur, who served as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, is his replacement heading into 2026.
Arizona is also stocked with the third overall draft pick next month and has around $30 million in cap space to work with. Murray was the top cap hit, and that will remain due to the money he’s still owed. However, this is a rebuilding squad, and the Cardinals made the tough choice to do so at the league’s most important position.
Early in his Cardinals tenure, Murray was a player to build around after making back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021, the latter of which he threw for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 423 yards with five scores on the ground. He also rushed for 819 yards with 11 rushing scores in 2020, a part of his game that made him so electric.
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Injuries, though, have hampered Murray’s career, including a torn ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 season that resulted in him missing nine games in 2023. Then, after a full 17-game season in 2024, he injured a foot.
Perhaps a fresh start is what’s needed to get Murray back on track. Teams like the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins could be options because they’re searching for quarterbacks this offseason.
Viral ‘airport theory’ trend might actually be pulled off at 5 airports, says study
More travelers are deliberately cutting it close at the airport in a viral gamble known as the “airport theory.”
The social media trend encourages passengers to arrive just minutes before clearing security, often just 15 minutes ahead of boarding, in an attempt to avoid long waits and extra time spent inside the airport terminal.
Despite the obvious possibility of missing a flight, interest in the trend has surged.
Searches for “airport theory” have jumped more than 11,000% over the past year, according to international travel eSIM provider Holafly.
To determine where the risky strategy might be most feasible, Holafly analyzed 25 of the busiest airports in the United States.
The company looked at factors such as average TSA wait times, on-time departure rates, passenger volume and airport size.
Salt Lake City International Airport topped the list of most feasible, with an on-time rate of 82.75% and an average security wait time of 15 minutes.
The airport serves more than 13 million passengers annually and has two concourses, making it relatively easy to navigate.
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San Diego International Airport ranked second in the study, followed by Boston Logan International Airport in third place. Both airports reported average TSA wait times of around 10 minutes.
Washington Dulles International Airport ranked fourth with an on-time rate of 75.90% and an average TSA wait time of 15 minutes.
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport placed fifth, reporting an on-time rate of 76.25% and an average security wait of 15 minutes.
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Fox News Digital previously reported on the trend when it initially went viral roughly a year ago, and interest has surged again as vacation travel increases.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital earlier that cutting down the time of arrival to 15 minutes before boarding a flight is risky indeed.
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“The advice [from airlines] for when [travelers] need to arrive is too conservative,” Leff said. “But ‘airport theory’ suggesting showing up 15 minutes in advance of departure is cutting it way too close.”
He noted that arrival recommendations from airlines and airports are often conservative for a reason.
“Airlines and airports give very conservative guidance because they [first] don’t want to be blamed [for] outlier cases, where someone shows up closer to departure and misses their flight,” Leff added.
He added that airlines and airports also benefit when passengers arrive early and spend time shopping or dining before departure.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for further comment.